According to Steve Miller, prospects from the University of Kentucky refused to meet with the New York Knicks at the combine in Chicago in May of 2017.

“It was frustrating for me because I had never been in a situation where, especially rookies, there was a narrative amongst the young guys that they didn’t want to come play for the Knicks,” Mills said. “They didn’t want to meet with us in Chicago. I said, ‘We’ve got to change that and start with the young guys.’"

De'Aaron Fox, Malik Monk, Bam Adebayo and Isaiah Briscoe were in the 2017 draft class out of Kentucky.

The Knicks parted ways with Phil Jackson approximately one month later.

A year later, the Knicks drafted Kevin Knox out of Kentucky nine overall.